Shinde's Lottery System to Determine Mumbai Mayor's Reservation Category

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged as the largest party in the Mumbai BMC elections, yet the ultimate decision on the Mayor's post rests with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Shinde's Urban Development Department is set to employ a lottery system this week to determine the reservation category (general, women, OBC, or SC) for the Mayor's position, a crucial step delayed until after the elections. Following this reservation announcement, anticipated around January 22nd, the newly elected corporators will vote for the new Mayor in a special meeting, likely by January 28th. This election marks a significant shift as Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) lost its 28-year hold on the BMC, potentially allowing the BJP to install its first Mayor in Mumbai, though this will necessitate support from Shinde's faction, bolstering his political leverage. The Mayor's election will also be influenced by the votes of 10 newly introduced nominated corporators.